Was there ever a way for American Indian and white settlers to co-exist… or was it impossible from the start?

Question

Was there ever a way for American Indian and white settlers to co-exist… or was it impossible from the start?

Answer 1

I don't think it was ever "impossible".  But, it was unlikely.

Both groups were assured through their racial histories that modifying their beliefs was not the appropriate course of action.  There have been plenty of cultures that are quite willing to change their beliefs / culture upon contact with another culture.   But, neither the European settlers, nor most of the American Indigenous tribes held that belief.

Accommodation of the alien's culture by modifying your own culture is the only way to ensure cross-cultural peace.  Compromise breeds stability.  (too bad "compromise" is such a nasty word)

Answer 2

Impossible.  The simplest reason:  disease.

The Jamestown colony brought with them malaria (or more exactly, the colony members had been exposed to malaria, carried the antibodies in their blood and New World misquitoes bit them and spread it to the Indians--one of the first diseases spread by whites to the indigenous peoples).  That devastated the Central Atlantic tribes, moved them off the coast, produced lethargy and played a big role in why the Indians didn't attack and anihilate the settlers.

Next disease:  smallpox.  Which devastated many plains indian tribes.  Separate from intention or a willingness to work together, when whites came it led to exposure to diseases that have huge impacts on tribes.

Finally, basic perceptions of property and reasons why the whites settled were at odds.  Many of the initial people to come to the new world were:

--conquistadors (in search of treasure)

--2nd sons (not eligible to inherit the family property so they had to come to the new world to earn their fortune)

--debtors/indentured servants/white slaves (who had nothing and came here to get out of prison and earn land).

None of those classes of individuals would have come to the new world with the attitude of "sure, we'll share the land--you Indians got here first."  They (except for the various religious heretics here and there) came to build their fortunes, not share.  The problem only became worse when the settlers moved further west and encountered tribes (plains indians) that were very mobile and felt it was wrong to claim land, stake it off, and prevent others from moving on it.

Answer 3

there were some evidence of peaceful co-existance but that all ended because of greed of the white man.

Answer 4

Rayz if you pay so close attention you should go to a class where you can learn something

We tried but they wanted everything and didnt care how they got it "Still dont"

Answer 5

According to my history teacher Americans forced the Indians out of there original way of life. This was all because Americans brought different means of life and tried to sell them to the Indians. For eg. Indians get most of there supplies from the buffalo but Americans try to sell the Indians there fancy silk but the Indians use the Buffalo hide to make coats etc. So the Americans killed all the buffalo and took the necessary source of living form the Indians and put it in there stores and the Indians had no American money so they had to work for the white man and get money and buy into the American way of life which eventually ruined there life as it was. OK note if you are talking about Americans before independence they would not me called Americans but British North American settlers and Indians are the same as Amerindians (American Indians)

Answer 6

I think it would have been possible for the initial settlers to co-exist with the Indians but at some point the population increase would have made co-existence impossible.